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Best Lesbian Erotica 2000
The bestselling lesbian erotica series in America! Capturing the hottest, freshest lesbian erotica of the year.
"For me, the best erotic stories closely resemble the people who make my skin flush hot pink and send my head into overdrive. They're fiercely intelligent, confident and intricate. They can sweep me off my feet or catch me off guard. They are tender and nasty and just a little bit dangerous. They are not always what you expect them to be." —Tristan Taormino, series editor
"For me, the best erotic stories closely resemble the people who make my skin flush hot pink and send my head into overdrive. They're fiercely intelligent, confident and intricate. They can sweep me off my feet or catch me off guard. They are tender and nasty and just a little bit dangerous. They are not always what you expect them to be." —Tristan Taormino, series editor
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 1999
About the author
Tristan Taormino
71 books572 followersTristan Taormino is an award-winning writer, sex educator, speaker, filmmaker, and radio host. She is the editor of 25 anthologies and author of seven books, including her latest, The Feminist Porn Book, 50 Shades of Kink: An Introduction to BDSM, The Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation, The Ultimate Guide to Kink: BDSM, Role Play and the Erotic Edge and Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica, winner of a 2012 Lambda Literary Award. As the head of Smart Ass Productions, she has directed and produced twenty-four adult films. She is the producer and host of Sex Out Loud, a weekly radio show on the VoiceAmerica Network.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 30, 2023
i mean.... it's not that surprising how lesbians can make poetry out of seemingly everything but i am impressed
March 6, 2021
this was hot and well-written. Even the ones I liked the least I enjoyed reading. It is interesting to see how lesbian, short-form erotica differs from heterosexual erotica. It's much more conscious about what it's doing, how it's being read without the trappings of heterosexual shortform tropes, etc.
Some of my favourites:
1. A Real Life Superhero by Kate Dominic
2. Shy Girl by Elizabeth Stark (not erotica exactly but did make me want to read the full book)
3. A Perfect Forecast by Peggy Munson
4. Becoming Stone by Sandra Lee Golvin
5. Thalia by Kathe Izzo
6. Centre of Attention by Dawn Dougherty
7. You Know What? by Cara Bruce
They are others but these were the few I bookmarked!
Some of my favourites:
1. A Real Life Superhero by Kate Dominic
2. Shy Girl by Elizabeth Stark (not erotica exactly but did make me want to read the full book)
3. A Perfect Forecast by Peggy Munson
4. Becoming Stone by Sandra Lee Golvin
5. Thalia by Kathe Izzo
6. Centre of Attention by Dawn Dougherty
7. You Know What? by Cara Bruce
They are others but these were the few I bookmarked!
Read
August 20, 2023Every time I read one of these I'm disappointed; I think I just have different tastes from the editors and that's OK. I'd really like to read some of the new (Sinclair Sexsmith-edited) ones, because undoubtedly a lot of the difference is in my preference for media published 20 years after this book.
With that said, I'm just also not a fan of the word "pussy," or first-person erotica, or erotic poetry, or erotica with relatively little body/setting description, or erotica without larger plot and emotional attachments between the characters... But when I say I'm not a fan I mean literally I'm not a fan of these things; that doesn't make them bad. What gets me going is different from what gets other people going. Most of these stories didn't get me going, and that's fine; I still had some favorites.
To that end!
BECOMING STONE by Sandra Lee Golvin (p17) is a really sweet story about just what it sounds like. The blossoming and withering relationship between a butch and a very-straight-passing femme is really melancholic and lovely to read.
BY THE BOOTS by Lauren Sanders (p47) is a classic example of something that's not my kink but great porn nonetheless; the focus on not climaxing with a partner and the relatively unique activity (shaving a pussy-- which no I did not think I would care for, but something about doing it as a bonding activity, kind of like shaving the face, rather than for the sake of gender norms, really made it work for me!) make this a standout.
DODI'S ODE by Robin Bernstein (p92) is Jewish so it gets bonus points but even if not-- cute depiction of growing up lesbian with friends you know, or just hope, are lesbians for how they treat you; fantastic tragic twist.
A REAL LIFE SUPERHERO by Kate Dominic (p177) got me from just how cute and unique it was; the way it adheres to Xena-esque tropes is so much fun and it completely did not matter whether I was into any given kink. Just an all-around great time.
CENTER OF ATTENTION by Dawn Dougherty (p209) was a great foray into exhibitionism, and one with a delightful little straight (?!) twist. I sound nuts describing it but I genuinely think that one element pushed me towards putting it on this list, because it's oddly heartwarming.
ALWAYS by Cecelia Tan (p216) makes the list for polyamory! I just thought the whole setup of describing how the throuple came together (...) was really sweet and did not require interest in the fucking.
THALIA by Kathe Izzo (p226) is a great example of something I want to see a lot more of; an erotica story where two characters don't have sex. Possibly my favorite in this collection? Unsure. Just adore Thalia and the premise of the MC getting a piercing from her. If you've ever thought there's something kinda gay about holding someone down and administering pain in a body modification context, READ THIS.
Overall, I skimmed a lot of the collection, but I don't think that means it's not worth reading-- just not something I'd recommend on its own to people who are into my specific kind of erotica (more plot-focused and so on). I'm not rating, but I'm glad I read it for the stories I enjoyed and I didn't find it bad or harmful at any point; if you're interested, give it a read.
With that said, I'm just also not a fan of the word "pussy," or first-person erotica, or erotic poetry, or erotica with relatively little body/setting description, or erotica without larger plot and emotional attachments between the characters... But when I say I'm not a fan I mean literally I'm not a fan of these things; that doesn't make them bad. What gets me going is different from what gets other people going. Most of these stories didn't get me going, and that's fine; I still had some favorites.
To that end!
BECOMING STONE by Sandra Lee Golvin (p17) is a really sweet story about just what it sounds like. The blossoming and withering relationship between a butch and a very-straight-passing femme is really melancholic and lovely to read.
BY THE BOOTS by Lauren Sanders (p47) is a classic example of something that's not my kink but great porn nonetheless; the focus on not climaxing with a partner and the relatively unique activity (shaving a pussy-- which no I did not think I would care for, but something about doing it as a bonding activity, kind of like shaving the face, rather than for the sake of gender norms, really made it work for me!) make this a standout.
DODI'S ODE by Robin Bernstein (p92) is Jewish so it gets bonus points but even if not-- cute depiction of growing up lesbian with friends you know, or just hope, are lesbians for how they treat you; fantastic tragic twist.
A REAL LIFE SUPERHERO by Kate Dominic (p177) got me from just how cute and unique it was; the way it adheres to Xena-esque tropes is so much fun and it completely did not matter whether I was into any given kink. Just an all-around great time.
CENTER OF ATTENTION by Dawn Dougherty (p209) was a great foray into exhibitionism, and one with a delightful little straight (?!) twist. I sound nuts describing it but I genuinely think that one element pushed me towards putting it on this list, because it's oddly heartwarming.
ALWAYS by Cecelia Tan (p216) makes the list for polyamory! I just thought the whole setup of describing how the throuple came together (...) was really sweet and did not require interest in the fucking.
THALIA by Kathe Izzo (p226) is a great example of something I want to see a lot more of; an erotica story where two characters don't have sex. Possibly my favorite in this collection? Unsure. Just adore Thalia and the premise of the MC getting a piercing from her. If you've ever thought there's something kinda gay about holding someone down and administering pain in a body modification context, READ THIS.
Overall, I skimmed a lot of the collection, but I don't think that means it's not worth reading-- just not something I'd recommend on its own to people who are into my specific kind of erotica (more plot-focused and so on). I'm not rating, but I'm glad I read it for the stories I enjoyed and I didn't find it bad or harmful at any point; if you're interested, give it a read.
Want to Read
March 24, 2021Read online here.
May 15, 2016
I was repeatedly told erotica is not 'true literature'. But for me even a biography or a math text should have at least some elements of literature. These stories have nothing for me. Just stringing intimate body part names leaves me indifferent.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews